Trai likely to issue new rules on spam

New Delhi: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) will issue new rules on unsolicited commercial communications or spam in a week.

“You will see something by November 5," the regulator’s chairman Rahul Khullar said Tuesday on the sidelines of a seminar in New Delhi.

Earlier in the day, communications minister Kapil Sibal said he too was a victim of spam and had discussed the issue with the regulator. “Trai is taking it up. I also face lot of problem. Every two minutes I get such SMS," Sibal said.

Earlier this month, Trai asked operators and other stakeholders for suggestions on how to handle the problem and their opinions on the issue. The regulator also issued a consultation paper asking for public comments on strengthening regulations.

Earlier this year, Trai put in place regulations that were supposed to make it expensive for telemarketers to send spam to mobile users on a national registry.

A Trai official, requesting anonymity, said the regulator was looking into blocking the delivery of spam altogether and disqualifying the individuals responsible from accessing resources needed to send such communications for a certain amount of time. Another proposal is to take an undertaking from consumers that they won’t engage in telemarketing unless allowed to do so.

The regulator has also made available a number, 1909, for consumers to register complaints against spam.